What's flowering as forage in your area

[Ian123]

Just sitting next to a load of laurel, the bees are going mad not on flowers but the extra nectaries in the base of the leaf

 

[Adam Bee]

Just sitting next to a load of laurel, the bees are going mad not on flowers but the extra nectaries in the base of the leaf

Interesting. Any idea why they are there? To encourage ants or other beneficial protectors?

 

[SDM]

I have borage thats about to flower if it hasn't already.

I have borage still flowering from last year.. it lay down but never quite died and off it went again 6 weeks ago.

 

[beeno]

Just sitting next to a load of laurel, the bees are going mad not on flowers but the extra nectaries in the base of the leaf

Ditto

 

[Ian123]

Summer has arrived in Surrey then .
Can you keep it there for another 3 weeks . " Have a word with the powers that be".

Its always summer in surrey..................normal to see a few flowers out last week of this month on the blackberry, full flush is about middle of the month/june.

Adam looks like you are on the right trackhttps://www.antwiki.org/wiki/Extrafloral_Nectaries

 

[Goodwood]

Bramble and clover now out here on the estuary in Pembs. Hawthorne and sycamore still going well too.

 

[Curly green fingers]

Walked the common this afternoon Hawthorne tree's full of bumbles and honey bees .
Blackberry looking good.

 

[GuyNir]

Anyone know which bush this is?

Stinks like hell but the bees love it...

 

[Dutchman]

Anyone know which bush this is?

Stinks like hell but the bees love it...

Its a Berberis Thunbergii Athropurpurea or Japanese Barberry

 

[GuyNir]

Its a Berberis Thunbergii Athropurpurea or Japanese Barberry

Thanks Dutchman. Boy it stinks , but the bees absolutely love it (bramble and wasps also).

 

[Finman]

Walked the common this afternoon Hawthorne tree's full of bumbles and honey bees .
Blackberry looking good.

It tells that bee plants are too few. Flowers are overgrazed and bees peck empty flowers.

 

[Murox]

Are you saying that because the Hawthorn is traditionally called the "11am tree" and that bees would normally not be visiting later in the day? Many melliferous plants give more nectar at specific times of the day i believe. Bumbles have a longer tongue than apis don't they and may be able to get right to the base of nectaries ?

 

[Curly green fingers]

Are you saying that because the Hawthorn is traditionally called the "11am tree" and that bees would normally not be visiting later in the day? Many melliferous plants give more nectar at specific times of the day i believe. Bumbles have a longer tongue than apis don't they and may be able to get right to the base of nectaries ?

Ill watch the eleven am tree's at 11am on Friday and Saturday that's dedication for you!

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Ill watch the eleven am tree's at 11am on Friday and Saturday that's dedication for you!

While having coffee and biscuits for elevenses

 

[Curly green fingers]

While having coffee and biscuits for elevenses

I'm more of a Yorkshire tea and honey man, choc digestive biscuits.

 

[enrico]

The lime is looking promising this year. Loads of flower buds
E

 

[coatesg]

Almost thought there was a distant swarm outside our back door this morning. Nope - even with overcast skies, the pyracanthus is well in flower and has bees of all kinda of varieties all over it - noted at least the following:

Buff tailed bumble
White tailed bumble
Tree bumble
Ashy Miner (pictured)

and (I assume) some of my own honeybees with very laden pollen sacs.

The red tailed bumbles seem a lot more interested in the Delphinium and Nepeta...

 

[Cowman]

Poppies covered in white tailed bumblebees this morning and white clover flowering everywhere although my cows are eating it before the bees get a look in

 

[Angularity]

Elder and chestnut round here.

 

[thedozzer]

Think the oak tree is putting out some sort of sap in the morning as we sat in garden and though there was a swarm, tree was humming with bumble bees getting something of the leaves?
we had a walk round the village, probably 200+ lime trees within a mile and most of them have buds about to open, hope they have some nectar.